Kieran Culkin admits he switched Mark Ruffalo’s Prop Joint for a real one
Kieran Culkin has confessed. The star of “A Real Pain” and “Succession” admitted that he once traded a prop joint for one containing real marijuana when he was cast in a stage production alongside Mark Ruffalo in 2000.
“I was 17 and stupid,” Culkin said in a new interview with The Guardian. “I said, ‘I thought this was a good joke. I’m stupid. Oh my God, I’m so sorry.’ But actually they loved it. Mark says: ‘I haven’t smoked weed in ten years. The second half will be so much fun.” There was another actor who had never smoked weed in her life. She says, ‘Is this what being high is? This is beautiful.’ And then Phyllis Newman comes in and says, “I haven’t smoked weed since the 1960s. Thank you, honey.’”
At the time, Culkin, Ruffalo and their co-stars were appearing in Playwright Horizons’ production of James Lapine’s play “The Moment When.”
“The director comes rushing in and says, ‘I don’t care who it is or what happened, but Kieran, give me the joint.’ I sheepishly handed her the cockroach and she said, “Ruin your life on your own time,” Culkin continued. “I know, I know. But I was young. I’m 42 now. I know better. I’m not going to try to get anyone high up on the podium.”
As far as Ruffalo is concerned, the actor would have hinted at earlier on the incident during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show. However, Ruffalo kept Culkin’s identity secret.
“There was a play I did where I smoked a joint in the first scene. Of course there was a very naughty young actor with whom I played in the play. On opening night, with all the critics, we put a real joint on the table,” Ruffalo said at the time. “The two of us smoked a giant blunt on stage. …But at the end of the piece I got the best reviews of my entire career. But I would never do that again.”
Culkin is currently making the rounds promoting co-star and director Jesse Eisenberg’s road comedy “A Real Pain.” Culkin has been nominated for a Golden Globe in the supporting actor category for his role in the film.
